Railway car structure



Dec. 1, 1936.

A. c. MOORE ETAL RAlLWAY CAR STRUCTURE l Filed Oct. 50, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet l O 0 0 O O 0 .0 G 0 0 0 0 O .wllllml lJDM. 1, 1936. A A. @MOORE Er AL 2,062,757

RAILWAY CAR STRUCTURE Filed 0013. 30, 1953 I 5 SheetS-Sheef 2 j f /m/en/off /mbrae C /Vaar Dec. 1, 1936. A'. C. MOORE UAL l 2,062,757

RAILWAY CAR STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 30, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Dec. Yl, 1936. A, Q MOORE ET AL 2,062,757

RAILWAY GAR STRUCTURE Filed OCC. 50, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 w w g www W y J @aw y# 7 wn/hanf w 0 r l lbf/QV mf xxw uw 2... d 7,5... am, M

a f 0r WM 7 6 fix 7 nu Fu QNF Patented Dec. 1, 1936 RAILWAY CAR STRUCTURE vAmbrose C. Moore and Axel Wasberg, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Chicago Railway Equipment Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application October 30, 1933, Serial No. 695,858

18 Claims.

This invention relates to ush type sliding doors, particularly for use in railway rolling stock, in which the door at the end of its sliding movement in a closing direction must be moved trans- V versely of its main line of movement to cause it to closely fit within the doorway.

The desirability of inset or ilush doors for freight cars has been recognized, particularly in refrigerator cars and grain cars in which a tight A door is essential. Flush doors when closed are more stably mounted, are less susceptible to damage by being sideswiped, and are more resistant to unauthorized tampering than ordinary sliding doors which at all times are carried on tracks extending along the outside of the car wall.

In eifecting the necessary transverse movement of sliding doors of the ush type, the doors are frequently lifted or swung free of their bearings and in the closed position rest on the threshold of the doorway. This arrangement causes sticking of the door in the doorway and requires heavy operating mechanism to support the weight of the door during transverse movement.

One object of the present invention is to provide improved means for effecting the transverse movement of a railway car flush door whereby sticking of the door is prevented.

Another object is' to provide novel framing structure for a ush door and doorway which, when the door is-in itssclosed position, forms improved weather and dust sealing means.

Another object is to provide a sliding door structure which may beadvantageously used in railway box cars andlin which the construction is substantially simplified and strengthened over previous car door structures.

These objects and Vothers are attained substantially by the structures illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a partial view of a railway box car showingal sliding door applied thereto.

Figures 2, 3, 8 and 9 are detail vertical transverse sectional views taken respectively on the lines 2 2, 3 3, 8 8 and 9 9 of Figure 1 and showing the door in the full closed position.-

Figures 2a, 3a, 8a and 9a are sections corresponding respectively to Figures 2, 3, 8 and kilbut 0 showing the door in partially open position.

Figures 4, 5, 6, '7 and 10 are detail horizontal sectional views taken onthe corresponding section lines of Figure 1.

Figures 1l and 12 are vertical transverse sec- 55) tionalviews showing a modified door and door (Cl. 18S-46)' way construction and corresponding respectively to Figures 2a and 3a. v

Figures 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 are detail horizontal sectional views of the same.

Figure 18 is a detail horizontal sectional View 5.l

showing the forward edge assembly of still an k other form of door and door post construction.

Figure 19 is a similar sectional View of the same but taken through the rear edge of the door, and door post. A 10 Figures 20 and 21 are detail vertical transverse sections of the construction shown in Figures 18 and 19 but taken respectively through the top and bottom edges of the door and the adjacent wall members. 15 Figures 22 and 23 are detail vertical trans-4 verse sectional views corresponding to Figures 3 and 3d and showing still-,other modifications. Figures '1 to 10 of thejdrawings illustrate Ea portion of a railway box or house car side wall yI 20 with apair of substantially Z-section door posts 2 and 3 defining a door opening and arranged to receive the door in a position substantially flush with the car side wall. Adjacent the lower edge of the door and extending alongv the side sill 4'is 25 a bearing track 5 supported from the side sill by means of brackets 6. Extendingy along the top edge ofthe door are guide track members I la rivetedto the Zfsection vcornice plate 8. The tracks 5 and 'I extend substantially from the front door post 2 longitudinallybeyond-the reardoor post 3 vin the usual manner. Supported on` the lower bearing trackl 5 is a slid'- ing door including Z-section front andrear frame members 9 andv I0, similarly shaped top and bottom members II and I2, panels I3, which are perferablyof metal, andhorizontal brace beams I 4. The bottom Z frame member I2 cooperates with a slightly offset plate I5 also secured to the loweredge ofthe door paneling toform a hous- 4 ing for the ball bearings I6 held in spaced relation by a cage Il. The cage I 'I tsloosely. between the sides of thehouslng-so that the balls are permitted a limited lamount of transverserolling without sliding. 4 v 45 The upper and lower forward corners of thev door are reinforced by gusset members I8 and I9, the former of which includes as a rigid part thereof the projecting retainer 20 having a door post abutment 20a. The lower corner gusset I9v 50 includes a projecting doorl guide 2| which overlaps the end of thebearing housing I2,. I5, thereby serving as a bearing stop.

At the forward upper and lower corners ofthe doorway framing are provided guide castings 25 5v5,

and 26 secured to the door post 2 and to the cornice plate and side sill respectively. These guides have surfaces 21 and 28, respectively, inclined to the plane of the door for cooperating with the upper corner 9b of the door and the projection 2| on the lower corner thereof to guide the forward edge of the door .inwardly when it is being closed.

At the .upper and ,lower rear corners of the door are provided corner gussets 30 and 3| which respectively include as rigid parts thereof the-- perforated bosses or bearinsg 32 and 33 which rotatably mount the operating bar 34'.VK -Gusset 3| also includes an inward projection. closing the .l

end of bearing housing I2, I5 and forminga bearing carriage stop. At the ends of the Abar 34 are cranks 35 and 36 pivotally mounting the offset retainers 31 and 38 (Figures 8to 9a.) associated respectively with and slidable along the upper and lower tracks 1 and 5. The upperV retainer 3,1` has a pair `of jawswhich loosely receivetherebetween vthe upper 'track 1`V(Figure '8) land the lower retainer 38.has depending flanges 38a`and 38h overlappingthe sides of the lower'track 5 (Figure 9).. K In order to accommodate the inner flange'38b of the lower retainer and' permit it to clear the side wall of the car, the portionl of the track 5 located to the right of the rear door post 3 is coped, v'as best shown in Figures 7 Yand 10. The remainder of the track 5 extends,` as at5a, substantially within the door opening and above the portion of side sill 4 beneath the door opening.

The operating rod 34 is provided with a handle 39 whereby the rod 34 and cranks 35 and36 may be rotated on retainers'31 and 38 as pivoting centers to move the rear portion of thedoor transversely of the car side, Handle39 has a slot 4I) for receiving the staple`4| projecting from aplate 42 secured to the face of the door. "'Pivoted to the plate 42 is an arm 43 including a depending nger 44 disposed to pass through the staplez4| 'to lock the arm 39 in position. T he lock may be secured against unauthorizedtampering lzy means of a seal through perforated lugs 45 and n The door will rest at all times upon the lower track 5, the balls I6 moving transversely thereon during movement of the'I door to and from the flush position within the inset doorway.4 The inwardly vextending portion 5a, of this track also serves to break the passage of dust and other material which might otherwisework upthrough the crevice between the bottomrof the door and the opposingv doorway frame E(see 'Figure 3). Since the door is at all times fullysupported on its bearings upon the track 5, sticking thereof, particularly in the closed position, will be eliminated. This feature constitutes a substantial improvement over the forms of ilush doors now generally in use'in which thedoor in the closed position is carried on the threshold of the doorway instead of on the bearing track. f

The front lower door gusset I 9 includes a. bracket 23 (Figure 3) which'pivotally mounts a retainer member'24'having a hook engaging the vertical flange of track 5 to limit outward movement of the adjacent portion of the door as indicated in `Figure 4. The inner flange IIa of the door top frame member II cooperates with track 1 (Figure 2a) to limit outward movement of the adjacent portion of the door.

The horizontal upperedge of the doorway is closed against thengr'ess 'of moisture, dust and other foreign matter by the contact of the door panel I3 with the door opposing web 1b, as shown in Figure'2. The lower edge Of the QQOl'WaY closed by the engagement of offset plate I5 with the floor edge 41 (Figure 3). As previously explained, the wide track 5 assists in sealing the bottom of the doorway. The inner flanges 2a and 3a of the door posts 2 and 3 extend from the webs of the Z bars parallel to the door and then outwardly to form, with the webs,f. three-sided pockets 49 and 49a. The edges of these flanges abut the door when the latter is in closed position. v'Secured to a portion of the web of door post 2 and spaced from the inner flange thereof is a Z-shaped strip 48 (Figure 5) projecting towards the edge of the door. In the closed position of the door, forwardedge 9a thereof extends between flange2a and strip 48. The forward edge of the door edging l9'cooperates with this flange and strip to form a pair of dust and weather repelling pockets 49 and 56. Member 48 may be omitted, if desired, and the single pocket 49 relied upon as a weather and dust seal. The pockets 49 and'49`1l preferablywill be opened-at the bottom between *the side l,sill 4 and track 5 and form an outlet for trapped moistureA and dust. An angle 29 (Figure 6)" may loe-applied to the rear edge of the door toform an additional seal at that point. Figures 11 to 1'1, inclusive,` illustrate other edge sealing means which may be used advantageously inl refrigerator cars. 'Figure l1 shows the cornice plate 54 fitted with a wooden beam 54a with its lower forward corner cut out to receive the top edge member 52 of the door 5I. A resilient insulating tubular strip 53 formed of canvas, rubber or similar material, is secured to the outwardly facing portion of beam 54a. The strip mounting face of the beamand the corresponding flange 52a of the door upper edge member 52 are, respectivelygconcave and convex in transverse section to cooperate more effectively in compressing the insulation 53 in providing a tight joint.

Figure 13 shows the end of beam 54a abutting the Z-bar post 56 and overlying the upper end of the forward edging 51 of the door and the elements cooperating therewith which are more clearly detailed in Figure 14 in which the wooden ller 56a is applied to the outer face of the Z-bar 56 and mounts the tubular insulation 55. The cooperating portions of filler 56o and the door front edging 51a are of concavo-convex form for the same reason as indicated above in connection with the top members of the door and doorway. From Figures 15, 16 and 1'1 it will be seen that the rear edge member 58 of the door and the corresponding wooden door post 59, having in-v sulation 60 applied thereto, are substantially'similar to the forward edgeand door post members. As clearly shown in Figure 11,. the hasping and locking mechanism is modified in that the handle 63v extends substantially longitudinally from the operating rod 64 instead of being bent inwardly towards the face of the door as shown in Figure 10.

Figure 12 shows the application of an insulation strip 6I to the edge of the car floor 62 in position to seal the bottom edge of the doorway when the door is moved inwardly from the partially closed position shown.

Figures 18 to 21, inclusive, show another form of insulationadapted for application to refrigerator cars in particular. It will be seen that the front, rear and top doorway frame members 65, 66, and 61 shownv respectively in Figures 18, 19 and 20, are provided with curved door opposing flanges 65a, 66a and 61a forming outwardly facing three-sided pockets within which are secured tubular strips of insulation 68, 69 and 10,3 of

rubber or similar material. 'Ihe Z member 1l at the bottom of the doorway is recessed to form a pocket for receiving the insulating tube 12. The insulating tubes are applied to the doorway frame membersv by means of bolts 13.

In'Figures 22 and 23 are shown somewhat modified forms of swinging retainers corresponding to the retainer hook 24 secured to the forward edge of the door'in the first form of the invention described. In Figure 22 the bracket 15, which pivots the hook 11, has a projection 16 adapted to engage the retainer hook to limit the movementv of the hook towards the bracket and thereby arrest the outward movementV of the door 18. In this form the bearing housing formed of depending door edge members 19 and 80 is substantially wider than the ball cage so that the door has freer transverse movement towards and from the hush position within the doorway than in the previous forms in which the ball will necessarily slide during a portion of the transverse movement of the door.

In Figure 23 the bracket 8l is provided with a hood portion 82 covering the upperV portion of the retainer hook 83 and limiting the outward movement of the hook and the corresponding inward movement of the door 84.

In each o-f the forms of the invention, Inovement of the door and particularly the transverse movement thereof to and from the flush position is substantially easier than has been the case in previous sliding door construction of the iiush or inset type. provided in a transverse direction between the ball bearings and the sides of the bearing housing, transverse movement of the door is easier than where the bearings t snugly within the housing. Also the door is at all times supported upon the lower track so that the transversely actuating mechanism including rod 34 and cranks 35 and 3B (Figures 1 to 10) carry practically none of the weight of the door even in the closed position, and these members may, accordingly, be made lighter and are less subject to destructive wear than where the whole weight of the door is rapplied to these cranks during the transverse movement as has been thecase in some previous arrangements. Moreover, the location o-f the various reinforcing gussets, door guides, retainer brackets, and bearings for the operating mechanism so that several of these members may be combined into single rigid or integral structure, substantially simplifies the construction of the door and alsopermits these parts to mutually reinforce each other.

Flush doors are illustrated, but the invention is generally applicable to inset doors. Other details of the invention may be modified as will occur to those skilled in the art and the exclusive use of all such modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. In a door post for a sliding door, an angular section portion extending substantially the length of the post, one leg of said portion facing the doorway and the other leg thereof extending towards the doorway and having an outturned flange with its edge forming a door abutment, a horizontally inclined element at one end of the post for guiding the edge of the door transversely of the post against said abutment, and a strip projecting from said first-mentioned leg and extending therefrom towards the doorway and approximately alined with said inclined element, said strip and flange being arranged to Where substantial play is,

receive therebetween the edge of the door when moved A'inwardly along said inclined element to the closed position and to form therewith a weather seal. Y

2. In'combination, a sliding door including an angular edge member with its angle opening outwardly v'and away 4from the door body, a door post having a web facing said door and va pair of elements rigidly connected with said web and projecting therefrom towards the doorway, said elements being adapted tov receive therebetween the edge of said door when slid against said'post and to form with said angular member a pair of substantial weather seal pockets.

l3. In combination, a door post, a sliding door, a portion of said post facing the edge of said door, anda member xed on said post extending substantially the length of said portion andr projecting outwardly therefrom and overlying the exterior face of said doorand forming a weather seal overlapping the crevice between. the door post `and the door -in its closed position.

4, In combination, a wall having a doorway for a sliding door, brackets extending outwardly from said wall and a track for a rolling door bearing carriedon said brackets and including a prtion-extending abreast of said doorway fromside to side of and inside the same and spaced above the lower part thereof.

5. In combination, `a wall having a doorway, a

bearing track adjacent thereto, and a sliding Vdoor mounted on said track and arranged to be moved transversely thereof to a closed position in said doorway, `the portion ofsaid track abreast `said doorway extending inside the same to support said door in the closed position, said portion; being spaced above the lower part of said doorway and forming a weather .seal pocket withl said doorway part. jj

6. In combination, a wall having a doorway, a bearingl track adjacent thereto, the portion of. said track abreast of said doorway extending` substantially inside the same and a portion thereof beyond said doorway being spac'edfrom said wall, a sliding door mounted on said track, and means for moving said door transversely on said track'to a closed position within said doorway, said means including a retainer straddling the latter mentioned portion of said track.

7. In combination, a` wall having a doorway,

a bearing track adjacent thereto, a sliding door mounted on said track, the portion of said track abreast of said 'doorway having a depending flange at its outer edge and the remainder of said track being spaced from said wall, and means for moving'said door transversely on said track to and from the position within said doorway and for limiting said transverse movement, 'j said means including a pair of retainers on said track, one of said retainers engaging said flange and the other of said retainers engaging opposite sides of said track.

8. In combination, a wall having a doorway, a horizontal plate adjacent thereto forming a bearing track, a sliding door with a bearing mounted on said track and movable transversely thereon, and a retainer member pivotally secured to said door and overlapping said track to limit transverse movement of said door. i

9. In combination, a wall having a doorway, a bearing track with a portion extending inside said doorway, a sliding door having supporting bearings on said track, guide means on said'tr'ack and door for Vautomatically moving the forward edge of said door transversely on said tracka retainer pivoted `to said door adjacent said forward edge and independently of said guide means, and means including a retainer on said track for applying transverse `force to the rear edge of said door to move theL same transversely on said track to the-closed position, both of said retainers cooperating with said track to limit transverse movement of said door.

10. In combination, a sliding door, a bearing track therefor, a retainer for said door comprisingabase member attached to said door, and a hook pivoted to said member and Vextending around a portion o fsaid track, said door being movable laterally on said track and saidvba-se member and hook including elements cooperating to limit relative pivoting thereof and to prevent excessive transverse movement of said door. v 1l.-In combination, a doorway `with a bearing track adjacent thereto, a sliding door carriedon. said track by means of rolling bearings, and means independent of said bearings forrmoving said bearings and said door transversely on said track, said means including a bar pivoted to said door and pivotally mounting an ,offset retainer member at one end, said member slidably engaging said track and constituting a pivot on said track for said means.

12. Doorway corner construction comprising intersecting frame members, a bearing track for a sliding door adjacent one of said members, and a one-piece metal corner brace for said members including a horizontally inclined element extending transversely of said track for guiding the edge of the door transversely of said track as the door is moved to its closed position.

13. Door corner construction comprising intersecting horizontal and vertical frame members, and a one-piece metal corner brace for connecting said members and having elements at opposite sides of said vertical memberfor cooperating with an adjacent door guide and for mounting a door retaining member. v

14. In a'sliding door, intersecting frame members, a bearing housing ,on one of said members, and a corner gusset for said members including as an integral part thereof a bracket for pivotally mounting a door retainer and an abutment at the end of said housing and constituting a bearing stop.

15. In a railway car, a side sill including a horizontal top member, a car side wall above said sill and having a door opening, a car floor resting on; said member and terminating short of the outer edge thereof, a track extending alongside of said sill Vand includingy a horizontal element projecting over said sill member and spaced thereabove and forming a Weather seal pocket therewith, and a door supported on said track and-,movable into closed position with its inner face abutting the edge -of said floor.

16. In combination, a wall having a doorway, bearing tracks extending along. the horizontal edges thereof, a sliding door carried by at least one of said tracks by means ofrclling bearings, means :independent of said bearings for moving said doortra-nsversely of the doorway to closed position, said means including an operating bar rotatably secured to said door and having offset portions, and retainers movable along said tracks and-constituting pivots thereon for said portions.

1'7 In a railway car, a iloor, a side wall having a door opening and including a Z-bar door post projecting outwardly beyond the edge of said floor and having its web disposed transversely of the doorand its inner ange extending parallel to the door and then bent outwardly with its edge forming a door abutment, said flange and web forming'substantally a three-sided weather seal pocket substantially throughout the length of the post andiopen at the bottom of the post to drain matter collected therein to the exterior of the car.

18. In a railway car, a wall having a door opening and including a door post having a part extending transversely of said wall and a portion extending 'from said part parallel to said wall and then projecting outwardly for a relatively-short distance, and a door movable along said wall with its inner face disposed to slide past the outer edge of said door portion and with its front edge disposed to oppose said post part, said post and door forming a substantially closed pocket for preventing the passage of moisture and dirt into the. car when said door is closed.

AMBROSE C. MOORE. AXEL WASBERG. 

